Searching Indonesia on TikTok once yielded viral videos of an 11-year-old kid racing boats and “aura-farming”. Now, the same search is instead met with clips of burning buildings, demands to the government, and the “Jolly Roger” flag from the 1997 Japanese manga and anime One Piece. These two jarringly different snapshots have one thing in […]
Tag: corruption
The Same Old Corruption Story in Argentina
Corruption in South America is hardly breaking news, but the Milei scandal cuts differently because it was never supposed to happen here. Javier Milei, the President of Argentina, rose to power as a chainsaw-wielding outsider who promised to destroy the “political caste” and end decades of backroom deals. Now, leaked recordings point straight at his […]
The Corruption Blame-Game: San Francisco’s Mayoral Election
Corruption, the age-old critique of local politics. And this year, San Francisco mayoral candidates seem to enjoy singing that worn-out tune. September 19th’s mayoral debate was no exception, with Mayor London Breed being slammed for her involvement in corruption. Breed was quick to dismiss these accusations. She seemed to claim that corruption is a natural […]
Nigeria: How Resource Wealth Trapped a Nation in Neo-Feudalism
In the heart of Lagos, a crowd gathers—voices raised in unison, banners waving with the words ‘End Bad Governance.’ It’s 2024, and Nigerians have had enough. Economic hardship, soaring inflation, and corrupt leadership have driven thousands to the streets. They are protesting against a system where oil wealth trickles up, but never down. Nigeria boasts […]
“Stairway To Heaven” is Our Generation’s Political Anthem
We all know Led Zeppelin. 1970s British band. Founders of hard rock. Oh: and political commentators. Well, not exactly. Compared to their peers, Led Zeppelin generally avoided political themes in their songwriting. Pink Floyd decried all war with “Us and Them,” the Beatles critiqued Communist China in “Revolution,” and the Rolling Stones’ “Street Fighting Man” […]
Ditch Charity, Pick Mutual Aid
The ultra-wealthy present themselves as the solution for inequality, pledging millions and sometimes billions of dollars to philanthropic projects. Take Jeff Bezos, who gave $100 million to food banks during the pandemic, but did not provide adequate leave for Amazon workers who were sick during initial COVID outbreaks. Most billionaires’ charitable acts are more self-serving […]
Electricity Shortages Continue to Plague South Africans
Lloyd Albert, who owns two bakeries alongside his brother, is often forced to bake through the night in order to have products to sell during the day. He is in this position because he must plan around South Africa’s regular power outages, which exist as part of a load-shedding program. Like many other South African […]
Guatemala’s “Uncle Bernie” Faces Potential Coup After Presidential Victory
Guatemala is on the verge of a political coup amid election turmoil. In the country’s recent presidential election, progressive candidate Bernardo Arévalo secured his victory with 58% of the votes, defeating the former first lady Sandra Torres’s 37%. The unprecedented victory of this dark horse candidate has provoked wrath and fear in the country’s political […]
FIFA’s Long History of Corruption Amid Qatar Controversy
On November 20th, 2022, the Federation Internationale de Football Association World Cup began. This year, Qatar, a small country of only 11,500 square kilometers (4,440 square miles), roughly the size of Connecticut, is hosting the event throughout five cities. Qatar will be accomplishing a lot of firsts this season, including but not limited to the […]
Israeli Election: Netanyahu’s Comeback Attempt, Plus Far-Right Revival
“Elections have consequences:” Israelis will pick winners today in a contest with the potential to dramatically alter long-standing norms. Today, Ehud, an Israeli construction worker from the small city of Hadera, will vote on his country’s future. What kind of future? He hasn’t decided yet. With over 30 parties vying for parliament, Ehud likely won’t […]